Adapter for pool cleaning system

ABSTRACT

An adapter for a pool cleaning system is provided. The adapter includes a base member having a top and a bottom surface. The adapter also includes six upper ports coupled to the top surface of the base member, each upper port including an upper aperture extending through the upper port and through the base member. The adapter further includes five lower ports coupled to the bottom surface of the base member, each lower port including a lower aperture extending through the lower port and through the base member. In some embodiments, four of lower ports are in fluid communication four of the upper ports and one of the lower ports is in fluid communication with two of the upper ports.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[S]

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application entitled “ADAPTER FOR POOL CLEANING SYSTEM,” Ser. No. 15/332,977, filed Oct. 24, 2016, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application entitled “ADAPTER FOR POOL CLEANING SYSTEM,” Ser. No. 62/245,855, filed Oct. 23, 2015, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field

This invention relates generally to valves for a pool cleaning system and more particularly to an adapter for use on an in-floor pool cleaning system.

State of the Art

In certain areas of the country and the world, residents are inclined to have a swimming pool on their property. These pools provide a great opportunity for recreation, but also require consistent maintenance. One aspect of pool maintenance that must be present is cleaning of the pool. In most instances, some type of automated cleaning is used as part of the cleaning of the pool. Some of these pool cleaning systems include systems such as suction-side pool cleaners, pressure side pool cleaners, robotic pool cleaners, and in-floor pool cleaning systems.

In-floor pool cleaning systems require a valve that distributes water through various ports to deliver to a pop-up nozzle located on the pool floor. A common number of ports are five. The valves are specific to these types of ports, wherein valves are created to have 5 ports coinciding with the 5 ports delivering water to the popup nozzles. These 5 port systems are lacking in the ability to be used with another type of valve, such as a 6 port valve.

Accordingly, there is a need for a device that allows a 5 port in-floor pool cleaning system to be used with another type of valve different from a 5 port valve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adapter for use with an in-floor pool cleaning system, wherein the adapter provides the ability to couple a 6 port valve to a 5 port in-floor pool cleaning system.

In an embodiment, an adapter for a pool cleaning system comprises a base member having a top and a bottom surface; a plurality of upper ports coupled to the top surface of the base member, each upper port including an upper aperture extending through the upper port and through the base member; and a plurality of lower ports coupled to the bottom surface of the base member, each lower port including a lower aperture extending through the lower port and through the base member, wherein the number of upper ports is greater than the number of lower ports and the aperture of each upper port is in fluid communication with at least one aperture of the lower ports.

In another embodiment, an adapter for a pool cleaning system comprises a base member having a top and a bottom surface; six upper ports coupled to the top surface of the base member, each upper port including an upper aperture extending through the upper port and through the base member; and five lower ports coupled to the bottom surface of the base member, each lower port including a lower aperture extending through the lower port and through the base member, wherein four of lower ports are in fluid communication four of the upper ports and one of the lower ports is in fluid communication with two of the upper ports.

In another embodiment, an in-floor pool cleaning system comprising: a five port in-floor pool cleaning system; a six port valve; and an adapter comprising: a base member having a top and a bottom surface; six upper ports coupled to the top surface of the base member, each upper port including an upper aperture extending through the upper port and through the base member; and five lower ports coupled to the bottom surface of the base member, each lower port including a lower aperture extending through the lower port and through the base member, wherein four of the lower ports are in fluid communication four of the upper ports and one of the lower ports are in fluid communication with two of the upper ports, wherein the five port in-floor pool cleaning system is coupled to the five lower ports and the six port valve is coupled to the six upper ports and accordingly also the five lower ports.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar items throughout the Figures, and:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an adapter;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of an adapter;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an adapter;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of an adapter;

FIG. 5 is a side view of an adapter; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of an adapter coupled between a six port valve and five ports of the pool cleaning system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to an adapter for use with an in-floor pool cleaning system, wherein the adapter provides the ability to couple a six port valve to a five port in-floor pool cleaning system.

FIGS. 1-6 depict an adapter 10 for use with an in-floor pool cleaning system. Adapter 10 may include an upper port 12. As shown, there may be six upper ports 12, wherein each upper port 12 includes an upper aperture 13 extending there through. In embodiments, upper aperture 13 extending through upper port 12 may be a cylindrical upper aperture 13, wherein the cylindrical shape corresponds to a shape of a valve 40. The upper ports 12 may be coupled to a top surface 30 of a base member 16. Upper aperture 13 may extend through base member 16.

Further, upper support structures 18 may be coupled between the upper ports 12 for added strength to adapter 10. According to some embodiments, upper ports 12 may be spaced an equal radial distance from a center of base member 16. Further, upper ports 12 may be distributed substantially equal arc lengths from each adjacent upper port 12.

Adapter 10 may include a lower port 14. As shown, there may be five lower ports 14, wherein each lower port 14 includes a lower aperture 15 extending there through. In embodiments, lower aperture 15 extending through lower port 14 may be a cylindrical aperture 15, wherein the cylindrical shape corresponds to a shape of in-line floor cleaner ports 42. The lower ports 14 may be coupled to a bottom surface 32 of base member 16. Lower aperture 15 may extend through base member 16.

Further, lower support structures 20 may be coupled between the lower ports 14 for added strength to the adapter 10. According to some embodiments, lower ports 14 may be spaced an equal radial distance from a center of base member 16. Further, lower ports 14 may be distributed substantially equal arc lengths from each adjacent lower port 14.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 3 and 4, upper apertures 13 may include six upper apertures 13 a, 13 b, 13 c, 13 d, 13 e, and 13 f; and lower apertures 15 may include five lower apertures 15 a, 15 b, 15 c, 15 d and 15 e. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, upper apertures 13 a and 13 b are in fluid communication with lower aperture 15 a; upper aperture 13 c is in fluid communication with lower aperture 15 b; upper aperture 13 d is in fluid communication with lower aperture 15 c; upper aperture 13 e is in fluid communication with lower aperture 15 d; and upper aperture 13 f is in fluid communication with lower aperture 15 e. These fluid communications between upper apertures 13 and lower apertures 15 allows for water to flow through a six port valve 40 and direct water through the five ports 42 of the in-line pool cleaning system.

Further, some pools may include an area of the pool that generally requires additional cleaning, such as a deeper end of the pool or one close to where more debris is collected. In these embodiments, a port 42 of the in-line pool system that is fluidly coupled to the popup nozzle that is set to clean those particular areas of the pool may be coupled to lower port 15 a. As the six port valve 40 systematically directs water through each upper port 13 a-f, when water is directed through upper port 13 a and then 13 b, the water is directed through lower port 15 a. This operates the popup nozzle connected to port 42 coupled to lower port 15 a.

Embodiments are not limited to uses of any specific components, provided that the components selected are consistent with the intended operation of an adapter for a pool cleaning system.

Accordingly, the components defining any adapter for a pool cleaning system may be formed of any of many different types of materials or combinations thereof that can readily be formed into shaped objects provided that the components selected are consistent with the intended operation of an adapter for a pool cleaning system. For example, the components may be formed of: rubbers (synthetic and/or natural) and/or other like materials; glasses (such as fiberglass) carbon-fiber, aramid-fiber, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; polymers such as thermoplastics (such as ABS, Fluoropolymers, Polyacetal, Polyamide; Polycarbonate, Polyethylene, Polysulfone, and/or the like), thermosets (such as Epoxy, Phenolic Resin, Polyimide, Polyurethane, Silicone, and/or the like), any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; composites and/or other like materials; metals, such as zinc, magnesium, titanium, copper, iron, steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, tool steel, stainless steel, aluminum, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; alloys, such as aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, magnesium alloy, copper alloy, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; any other suitable material; and/or any combination thereof.

Furthermore, the components defining any adapter for a pool cleaning system may be purchased pre-manufactured or manufactured separately and then assembled together. However, any or all of the components may be manufactured simultaneously and integrally joined with one another. Manufacture of these components separately or simultaneously may involve extrusion, pultrusion, vacuum forming, injection molding, blow molding, resin transfer molding, casting, forging, cold rolling, milling, drilling, reaming, turning, grinding, stamping, cutting, bending, welding, soldering, hardening, riveting, punching, plating, and/or the like. If any of the components are manufactured separately, they may then be coupled with one another in any manner, such as with adhesive, a weld, a fastener (e.g. a bolt, a nut, a screw, a nail, a rivet, a pin, and/or the like), wiring, any combination thereof, and/or the like for example, depending on, among other considerations, the particular material forming the components. Other possible steps might include sand blasting, polishing, powder coating, zinc plating, anodizing, hard anodizing, and/or painting the components for example.

The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the forthcoming claims. 

1. An adapter for a pool cleaning system, the adapter comprising: a base member having a top and a bottom surface; a plurality of upper ports coupled to the top surface of the base member, each upper port including an upper aperture extending through the upper port and through the base member; and a plurality of lower ports coupled to the bottom surface of the base member, each lower port including a lower aperture extending through the lower port and through the base member, wherein the number of upper ports is greater than the number of lower ports and the aperture of each upper port is in fluid communication with at least one aperture of the lower ports, and wherein at least one of the lower ports is in fluid communication with two upper ports.
 2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein each upper port comprises a cylindrical upper aperture, wherein the cylindrical shape corresponds to a shape of a valve.
 3. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising upper support structures coupled between the plurality of upper ports, wherein the upper support structures provide added strength to the adapter.
 4. The adapter of claim 1, wherein each upper port of the plurality of upper ports is spaced an equal radial distance from a center of base member.
 5. The adapter of claim 4, wherein each upper port of the plurality of ports is distributed substantially equal arc lengths from each adjacent upper port.
 6. The adapter of claim 1, wherein each lower port comprises a cylindrical lower aperture extending there through, wherein the cylindrical shape corresponds to a shape of an in-line floor cleaner port.
 7. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising lower support structures coupled between the plurality of lower ports, wherein the lower support structures provide added strength to the adapter.
 8. The adapter of claim 1, wherein each lower port of the plurality of lower ports is spaced an equal radial distance from a center of base member.
 9. The adapter of claim 9, wherein each lower port of the plurality of lower ports is distributed substantially equal arc lengths from each adjacent lower port. 